The invention relates to circumaural headsets having ear domes adapted to attenuate noise. Such headsets include communication equipment as well as ear protectors and other like noise attenuating devices.
Circumaural hearing protectors function by enclosing the ears of a user within earcups, typically plastic domes. Comfortable ear seals are interposed between the earcups and the user's head to assist in isolating the ears from offending noise originating outside the earcups. The earcups are typically attached to a spring and suspension assembly that applies a force urging the ear seals in place against the head of a user. Proper adjustment of the headband clamping force is critical to achieving optimum comfort and noise attenuation levels. Excessive force can cause discomfort, whereas insufficient force can result in an inadequate earcup seal allowing ambient noise to enter into the ear dome cavity. The difficulty in providing improved noise attenuation without detracting from comfort has been long recognized. See for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,923,647; 5,590,213; 5,185,807, 5,138,722; 5,020,163; 4,944,361; 4,856,118; 4,674,134; 3,593,341; 3,571,813; and 2,408,494.
Ear seals are typically designed to accommodate a wide range of users having differently sized heads and ears. Users with particularly large ears, however, suffer certain difficulties. Such a user may either fold back the helix of his or her ear causing discomfort, or may place the ear seal against the helix of his or her ear, pressing the ear against the head. The presence of a portion of the user's ear between the ear seal and the user's head, significantly detracts from the noise attenuation capabilities of the headset. Moreover, such users are generally under some discomfort at normal ear seal pressure since the ear seal presses against the helix of the user's oversized ear. Such a user may decrease the pressure against their head, thereby providing more comfort but a loss in noise attenuation. Or the user may increase the pressure of the ear seals against their head in an effort to improve noise attenuation, thereby causing greater discomfort.
There is a need, therefore, for an earseal for a noise attenuating headset, that provides maximum comfort and noise attenuation for users with oversized ears.